If the BFG went to the dentist, this is what they'd use to clean his teeth. But it's actually designed to flip food.

It is neither a medieval torture device nor a dental tool sized for the Big Friendly Giant, though the PigTail Food Flipper could be mistaken for either. Rather, this long stainless-steel rod, which ends in a sharp hook, is meant for piercing and turning food. An Epi staffer came across one at a barbecue recently; it's attracted some positive reviews on Amazon. The PigTail "replaces tongs, forks and spatulas," according to its manufacturer, Jaccard, which plays up the tool's multipurpose appeal: ribs, steak, burgers, corn on the cob. Shrimp, scallops, breaded chicken. "Eliminates need for all other utensils," reads the company's website. All of them?

The other night I grilled a number of things that one typically grills—pork chops, corn, peppers, potatoes—using no utensil save for the PigTail Food Flipper, which comes in two sizes: a modest 12 inches and a more generous 19 inches. That's a luxurious length, especially when you're laboring over a grill, and the thing has a certain elegance to it.

Other than that, though, how'd it work? I'm here to report that it worked...fine. It was best at hooking the meat. Unlike tongs, it didn't squeeze any juice out when I flipped the chops, or leave any mark on them; the thing is sharp enough that the holes it made were negligible. But I felt far less dexterous with it than I would've with a pair of tongs when flipping corn. It was pretty much impossible to get either of the cobs in exactly the place I wanted them without using my hands, which didn't necessarily appreciate being thrust into such close proximity to hot coals. The PigTail started to tear the potatoes and peppers the longer they stayed on the grill. It is, however, said to be great with a rack of ribs.

Is it worth it, though? For grill completists who like limited-use kitchen tools and have the space to store it, maybe. The rest of us can probably just stick to our less terrifying-looking tongs.